The A Priori in Phenomenology and the Legacy of Logical Empiricism

Abstract

The legacy of logical empiricism poses major obstacles to an understanding of what phenomenologists mean by "the a priori." For Schlick and other logical empiricists, "a priori" propositions are "analytic" propositions. For phenomenologists such as Scheler and Husserl, "the a priori" applies, among other things, to the intuition of "essences." The views seem irreconcilable. Yet, when the concept of "analyticity" is examined in light of more recent discussions by Quine and others, a rapprochement in understanding, as well as a clarification of phenomenological usage, may be possible.